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Chinese, Arab Foreign Ministers Wrap Up Uneventful Low Key Forum

by Eric Olander
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi speaking at the 9th ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. Photo via the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Monday with his counterparts from North Africa, the Mideast, and the Gulf for a surprisingly low-key online ministerial conference. The 9th ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, comparable to the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, was co-hosted by Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi and somehow managed to avoid many of the potentially inflammatory issues that are currently simmering in both China and MENA countries.

Officials on all sides appeared determined to steer clear of the increasingly acrimonious U.S.-China standoff, and at least according to state media reports, Foreign Minister Wang avoided any specific reference to China’s controversial policies in Xinjiang as he has in previous meetings with Arab leaders.

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